News of July 15, 2024
Career boost for Marie Curie Fellow
Dr. Soniya Dhiman expands her research expertise in the recovery of metals
Dr. Soniya Dhiman has been a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) since March 2024. The Indian researcher is working in the biotechnology department of the HZDR institute on the development of technologies for the economic and ecological recovery of indium, gallium and germanium from industrial waste. The scholarship from the European funding program supports researchers holding a PhD who wish to carry out their research activities abroad, acquire new skills and develop their careers in order to achieve excellence in research.
Since March 2024 Dr. Soniya Dhiman researches as a Marie-Sklodowska-Curie Fellow at the Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology (HIF) on the recovery of strategically important metals.
Source: privat
In this interview, Soniya Dhiman reveals why she came to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR), what exactly she is researching here and what the scholarship means to her.
What is your scientific background and why did you come to the HZDR?
After studying chemistry, I received my PhD in chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee in 2021. I then worked at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi in the Department of Biochemical Engineering and Biotechnology, where I worked on the Indo-German project BioCuInGe, which focused on the separation and recovery of critical metals from industrial waste. I applied for the fellowship to learn from researchers who already have many years of experience in this field and from Dr. Rohan Jain, who is successfully recovering critical metals from industrial waste at HIF.
What is your research focus and what are you working on at the HIF?
My research focuses on solvent extraction, separation, recovery, industrial waste, e-waste and mining waste management, wastewater treatment, siderophores - selectively binding biomolecules, dye degradation using nanoparticles, environmental protection and green chemistry. At HIF, I am working on the Eco-Metalophosphore research project led by Rohan Jain, which focuses on the development of technologies for the economic and environmental recovery of indium, gallium and germanium from industrial waste. The aim of this project is to develop a commercially viable and an environmentally sustainable technology to recover metals from urban industrial waste. This is because wastewater and industrial waste are important secondary sources of raw materials and are therefore of great importance for recycling.
What does the Marie Curie Fellowship mean to you?
The Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship is a prestigious recognition of my research excellence and potential. It provides key skills like collaboration with industry, working with realistic systems, patent writing, technology transfer, teamwork and result-dissemination skills to investors and the general public. It opens doors to future opportunities and allows me to contribute significantly to the interdisciplinary area for economic and social welfare. In addition, the presence of renowned researchers in close vicinity provides a perfect scientific ecosystem to develop my networks for my future career. The scholarship will give my career a significant boost, which will enable me to apply for my own research group.
And finally, how do you like Germany and Dresden in particular, and what are your plans for the future?
This is my first time in Germany and I really like the country and the city of Dresden. Dresden offers a perfect mix of academic excellence and high quality of life, which makes it an ideal place for professional and personal fulfillment.
My future plan is to become a research leader in the field of "resource recovery" at the interface of industry and academics. I would like to develop my scientific skills and collaborate with scientists from different disciplines. The results of the current project I will publish in high-ranking international journals and present them at international conferences in order to expand my scientific network and strengthen my reputation. Additionally, submitting funding applications also expands my skills and will help me to apply for an ERC Starting Grant or a Helmholtz Young Investigator Grant.
Current publication:
Choudhary, S.; Dhiman, S.; Hintersatz, C.; Matys, S.; Kutschke, S.; Tsushima, S.; Pollmann, K.; Saravanan, V.; Jain, R., Selective recovery of Cu from copper mold production waste by organic ligands, in Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 12 (2024) (DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2024.113398)
About the Marie Curie Fellowship
With the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions,the European Union supports scientists by encouraging them to work across countries and sectors in order to pursue an international career. This strengthens Europe as a research location and increases the attractiveness of scientific careers.
Further Information:
Dr. Soniya Dhiman | Department Biotechnology
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at HZDR
E-Mail: s.dhiman@hzdr.de
Press Contact:
Anne-Kristin Jentzsch | Press Officer
Helmholtz Institute Freiberg for Resource Technology at HZDR
Phone: +49 351 260 4429 | Email: a.jentzsch@hzdr.de
